2002 Rover 75 — MOT failures & pass rate
10,893 MOT tests on the 2002 Rover 75 are in this dataset, and 70.3% of them passed. That is 1.6 percentage points worse than large family cars of a similar age, which fail at 28.1%. Failures cluster in suspension, lighting & signalling and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
One area stands out: suspension, recorded in 19.4% of tests against 13.5% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are component mounting prescribed areas, headlamp aim and pins and bushes — component mounting prescribed areas alone was recorded 1,217 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 13.8% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 34.2% once past 150k — 2.5× the risk.
The petrol cars hold up better: 26.9% fail against 31.4% for diesel, a 4.5-point gap across 10,888 tests.
Suspension is the most common advisory, noted on 37.9% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 31.4% in 2021 to 28.2% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 19.4% | 2,117 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 13.5% | 1,466 |
| 3 | Brakes | 10.6% | 1,158 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 6.2% | 672 |
| 5 | Visibility | 4.8% | 518 |
| 6 | Seat belts & restraints | 4.5% | 493 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Component mounting prescribed areas | 1,217 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 997 |
| 3 | Pins and bushes | 581 |
| 4 | Rigid brake pipes | 569 |
| 5 | Headlamp | 487 |
| 6 | Rbt (sp) | 418 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 37.9% | 4,129 |
| 2 | Brakes | 36.6% | 3,983 |
| 3 | Tyres | 24.7% | 2,690 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 18.4% | 2,008 |
| 5 | Other defects | 11.4% | 1,237 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 10.6% | 1,157 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | 225 | 13.8% |
| 30-60k | 1,168 | 21.2% |
| 60-90k | 2,490 | 27.4% |
| 90-120k | 2,763 | 30.9% |
| 120-150k | 2,007 | 32.7% |
| 150k+ | 2,214 | 34.2% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 6,780 | 31.4% |
| Petrol | 4,108 | 26.9% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 3,353 | 31.4% |
| 2022 | 2,572 | 29.9% |
| 2023 | 2,054 | 28.8% |
| 2024 | 1,622 | 28.4% |
| 2025 | 1,292 | 28.2% |
What to check before buying a 2002 75
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: suspension accounted for 19.4% of tests. Start there.
- Suspension (19.4% of tests): Worn drop links, bushes, springs or shocks — listen for knocks over bumps and check for uneven tyre wear. Typical repair: £150–£450 per corner.
- Lighting & signalling (13.5% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (10.6% of tests): Pads/discs are routine wear; binding, imbalance or corroded pipes are more serious — test for pulling under braking. Typical repair: £100–£350 per axle.
Repair costs are rough UK ballpark ranges to set expectations, not quotes — actual prices vary widely by car, parts and garage.
Frequently asked questions
How many 2002 Rover 75s pass their MOT?
70.3% of the 10,893 2002 Rover 75 MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 29.7% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2002 Rover 75?
Suspension, recorded in 19.4% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (13.5%).
Does the 2002 75 get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 13.8% in the 0-30k band to 34.2% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 10,893 MOT tests. Dataset: DVSA MOT testing data (2021,2022,2023,2024,2025). Data last updated 2026-07-27. Figures reflect MOT-testable defects only — read the methodology for how these are calculated and what they don't measure.